Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and a hermetic illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. The unit is connected to the control part. An armoring member is disposed at a position where it is heated by heat radiated from the light source lamp. The outer surface of the armoring member is covered with a heat-insulating cover made of a material having a low thermal conductivity. A battery chamber is formed in the illuminating light supply unit to accommodate a battery as a power supply for the lamp. A relief valve releases the pressure in the battery chamber to the outside of the unit when the pressure rises.

Abstract: A miniaturized endoscope is formed by passing light in both directions down the endoscope.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a light guide for transmitting light to illuminate an object. The light guide has an entrance end portion disposed in a control part. An illuminating light supply unit contains a power supply for supplying the illuminating light to the light guide. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably connected to the control part. A lamp serving as a light source of the illuminating light is provided such that when the illuminating light supply unit is detached from the control part, the lamp is left in the control part.

Abstract: A portable endoscope system having an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The portable endoscope system includes a device for detachably connecting the illuminating light supply unit and the control part, and a connecting device for sealing a joint between the illuminating light supply unit and the control part. The connecting device seals the joint in a watertight manner so that water will not enter the portable endoscope system when the illuminating light supply unit is attached to the control part.

Abstract: A unit connecting member for connecting an illuminating light supply unit to a control part of an endoscope includes a receiving socket mounted to the control part for detachably receiving the illuminating light supply unit for connection to, and disconnection from, the control part. The unit connecting member further includes an electrically insulating member provided between the receiving socket and the control part, for electrically insulating the light supply unit from the control part. The endoscope system further including an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portable endoscope system includes an AC/DC conversion adapter which is connected to an AC power supply to output a predetermined DC voltage and is connectable to the illuminating light supply unit.

Abstract: A device for controlling an amount of light of a lighting unit for use in an endoscope, used to view an image of an object. The device includes a light shield for shielding light generated by a light source and transmitted to the endoscope. A stepping motor drives the light shield for a series of predetermined time intervals. Brightness of the image is detected during each of the time intervals and pulses are generated during each of the time intervals. The number of pulses generated is determined in accordance with a difference between the brightness of the image detected during each of the time intervals and a desired brightness of the image. The pulses generated are used to drive the stepping motor in each of the plurality of time intervals.

Abstract: A light source device for endoscopes includes a light source; a condenser lens unit for collecting light beams from the light source; a light guide for receiving the light beams collected through the condenser lens unit into its entrance end face to transmit them to its exit end face; and a reflecting mirror located on the opposite side of the condenser lens unit with respect to the light source. The light source device is designed so that a position where the light beams emitted from the light source are collected directly through the condenser lens unit does not coincide with a position where the light beams emitted from the light source and reflected back to the light source by the reflecting mirror are collected through the condenser lens unit.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes at least one endoscope, a peripheral device having a light source, and a detachable connecting device to connect the endoscope to the peripheral device. The emission time or illumination duration of the light source is measured and stored in the peripheral device. An indicating device is used to display the stored emission time or illumination duration independent of the connection between the endoscope and the peripheral device.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. A connecting mechanism detachably connects the control part and the light supply unit. A switch for turning on/off the light source lamp is provided in the connecting mechanism. When the light supply unit is connected to the control part in a predetermined state, the switch is turned on; when the former is detached from the latter, the switch is turned off. An electric resistor may be provided for gradually reducing the electric resistance between the lamp and a power supply therefor from a high-resistance state to a low-resistance state as the switch is moved from an OFF position toward an ON position.

Abstract: A light coupling assembly for use in providing light for illuminating an area of a patient's anatomy during the use of a medical instrument such as, for example, a laryngoscope is disclosed herein. The light coupling assembly includes a first light conveyance member having an input end for receiving light and an output end cooperating with the instrument in a way which illuminates the area with the light. A second light conveyance member includes an input end and an output end. The input end of the second member is positioned in optical communication with a source of light which also generates heat. A coupling arrangement is connected with the first and second members for positioning the input end of the first member in thermally isolated optical communication with the output end of the second member such that light from the first member is initially coupled to the second member in a way which prevents heat produced by the light source from damaging the first member.

Abstract: An endoscope provided with a lighting apparatus. In this lighting apparatus, a tapered fiber is applied between a lamp and a base end face of a light guide. This taper fiber is in a tapered configuration which gradually diminishes in diameter toward an end side. The lamp is a high luminance lamp of a low outgoing angle. The lamp, a battery, and the tapered fiber of the lighting apparatus are arranged unitedly on a grip portion of the endoscope.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope apparatus provided with an electronic endoscope having arranged thereon a solid-state image pickup element at an insertion portion, and external devices such as a light source device for supplying an illumination light to the electronic endoscope, a video processor for processing an electrical signal transmitted from the solid-state image pickup element of the electronic endoscope to produce a video signal. An electrical connection portion for electrically connecting the electronic endoscope and the video processor is provided at a connector portion which is provided at an end of a universal cord which connects the electronic endoscope and the light source device. An electromagnetic interference countermeasure member is provided which covers at least one of the connector portion, the universal cord and the external devices. A dual shield around a signal line is also provided which includes spirally-wound lead wires having different diameters and ends connected to video ground.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus including an endoscope, a supply portion for supplying a required signal or energy to a peripheral unit relating to the endoscope; and a control portion for controlling the supply portion, wherein the control portion is constituted to have at least one field programmable gate array and a function required by at least either of the endoscope or the peripheral unit relating to the endoscope is realized by receiving circuit information for constituting a control circuit for controlling the supply portion to selectively write the circuit information on the field programmable gate array so that the control circuit is constituted.

Abstract: A portable endoscope having a control part containing an entrance end portion of a light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and a hermetic illuminating light supply unit containing a light source lamp for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. The unit is connected to the control part. An armoring member is disposed at a position where it is heated by heat radiated from the light source lamp. The outer surface of the armoring member is covered with a heat-insulating cover made of a material having a low thermal conductivity. A battery chamber is formed in the illuminating light supply unit to accommodate a battery as a power supply for the lamp. A relief valve releases the pressure in the battery chamber to the outside of the unit when the pressure rises.

Abstract: An endoscope system for examining organic tissue that uses a light source to generate persistent fluorescence (that is, fluorescence that remains after the generating source is turned off or removed) in organic tissue. Two shutter mechanisms are controlled such that only the persistent fluorescence is allowed to reach an image receiving device, such as a CCD area sensor. The two shutters are controlled such that the CCD area sensor is exposed to the persistent fluorescence either once or a plurality of times before the image data is output. If the CCD is only exposed once, a number of CCD outputs are accumulated in a picture memory. The image generated from either the CCD output (for the plurality of exposures case) or the picture memory (for the single exposure case) is displayed on a display device.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus for counting a total number of times each endoscope, of a plurality of endoscopes, is connected to a peripheral device includes a connector on the peripheral device, a switch for detecting the connection of an endoscope to the connector, and a storage device provided in the peripheral device for storing the total usage operating time or the number of times connected for each individual endoscope. A display device is connected to the storage device and allows an operator to visually confirm usage times or connection totals for each endoscope independent of which endoscope is connected to the peripheral device.

Abstract: A light source device for endoscopes includes a light source for emitting white light containing the components of light belonging to a visible region and wavelength bands other than the visible region; at least, a rotary color separating filter on a field sequential system; and an infrared cutoff filter for blocking light in an infrared region, of a wavelength band of the white light. When the rotary color separating filter is disposed in an optical path from the light source to a light guide, an interference filter in which an interference film is applied to a transparent base plate is placed in the optical path. This arrangement obviates the defect of burning the entrance end of the light guide or of breaking the infrared cutoff filter.

Abstract: An endoscopic light guide connector of the type which has an input end of a light guide fitted in a light guide rod to be inserted into a connector socket at a connection port of a light source to locate a light pickup end face of the light guide at a light condensing position of a condenser lens of the light source. The light guide connector includes an adaptor pipe which is detachably fitted on a fore end portion of the light guide rod and which is fitted with a corrective lens to adjust angles of incident light rays from the condenser lens of the light source on the basis of a numerical aperture of the light guide for receiving input light rays at a maximum acceptance angle or at angles close to a maximum acceptance angle of the light guide. An adjustor unit fixedly receives the light guide rod and adjusts the distance between the input end of the light guide and the condenser lens.

Abstract: A fluorescent endoscope apparatus having: an endoscope that irradiates a subject portion to be observed with light transmitted through a light transmission device to obtain an object image of the subject portion to be observed; a normal observation light generating device for emitting normal light for performing normal light endoscope observation; a fluorescent observation light generating device for emitting excitation light for performing fluorescent light observation; an introduced-light switching device for selectively introducing, to the light transmission device of the endoscope, normal light emitted by the normal observation light generating device or excitation light emitted by the fluorescent observation light generating device; and an image sensing device for capturing a normal light image of the subject portion to be observed that can be obtained by irradiating the subject portion to be observed with normal light or excitation light or a fluorescent image that can be obtained due to irradiation wit

Abstract: A portable endoscope system has an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object. The light guide has an entrance end portion disposed in an endoscope control part. A light source lamp is contained in an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the light guide. A filament serving as a light emission source in the lamp is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the filament is approximately perpendicular to an entrance end surface of the light guide. A spheroidal reflecting mirror converges illuminating light emitted from the lamp onto the entrance end surface of the light guide. A bore is provided in a side of the mirror for receiving a head portion of the lamp. A reflecting surface is provided on an inner surface of a rear end portion of the mirror.

Abstract: A portable endoscope system has an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object. A light source lamp contained in an illuminating light supply unit supplies light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portable endoscope system includes a connecting cable which connects the light source lamp with an external battery to supply electricity to the light source lamp from outside the endoscope system.

Abstract: An illumination light control for an endoscope having an illumination window side by side with an observation window at the distal end of a catheter-like flexible insertion rod member of the endoscope, along with a light guide extended through the insertion rod member down to the illumination window to irradiate a subject under observation through the observation window. A window blockage sensor is located within the illumination window to detect existence of an intracavitary wall or other blocking obstacles in abnormal nearness of the illumination window by way of light reflection from the blocking obstacle.

Abstract: An arthroscope includes an frame member, an illumination system and a light guide connection port associated with the frame member for connecting to a light guide to transfer illumination light to the illumination system. The light guide connection port includes a support member having a tapered inner wall portion for supporting a transmissive element having a tapered portion. The support member includes a plurality of inner mounting projections extending from the tapered inner wall portion and being radially arranged and positioned to contact the outer surface of the light transmissive element to maintain the light transmissive element in spaced relation relative to the tapered inner wall portion.

Abstract: A method and a device is described. The probe device is a leading probe for surgical procedures which includes both instrument access and illumination. The leading probe device includes an annular arrangement of a plurality of light transmission fibers about a central instrument-receiving working channel. The leading probe may be fixed on the outer wall of the eye by a notched footplate with suitable suture material. Alternatively, the present invention device may have an appropriate adhesive member for securing the leading probe at the surface of the eyeball.

Abstract: A portable endoscope system including an illuminating light guide for transmitting light for illuminating an object, and an illuminating light supply unit for supplying illuminating light to the illuminating light guide. The entrance end portion of the illuminating light guide is disposed in an endoscope control part. The illuminating light supply unit is detachably attached to the control part. The portable endoscope system includes an AC/DC conversion adapter which is connected to an AC power supply to output a predetermined DC voltage and is connectable to the illuminating light supply unit.